Spectra head types

ku4zs1 · Post by **ku4zs1** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 6:03 am

The topic here has changed from the original, scroll down to my 4th post to see the new topic.
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I purchased a Spectra UHF dash mount from ebay, but did not realize that they came in many different splits. The one I got was 403-433 and I wanted to use it on 440 ham band

I would like to trade this one for either Range 2 or 3 Spectra and would include additional compensation since Range 2 and 3 are likely worth more than this one. Or if someone wants to just outright buy it from me I will do that too.

Radio is in excellent shape, some numbering etched into top and bottom cover, but face looks great. Radio powers, reads with RSS, appears to work fine. 45 watt trunking (but will do conventional).

Model: D44ZXA5JC2AK

jwb8734 · Post by **jwb8734** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 6:18 pm

I had the same problem. Mine was a UHF Securenet,Smartnet Trunk Range 1. I was looking for a Range 3.

ku4zs1 · Post by **ku4zs1** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:09 pm

bump, anyone before I throw it to the masses on ebay?

mancow · Post by **mancow** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:14 pm

Make sure to list that as an A5 head not a W5. W means astro and someone will surely give you hell about it.

mancow

jwb8734 · Post by **jwb8734** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 5:47 pm

Are you sure it an A5. When I called Moto last week they said the 9th and 10th Character is the control head type. If so this would be a C2 Head. It sounds like you have the same radio that I have.

mancow · Post by **mancow** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 7:05 pm

I guess I've never heard of a C2 head.

jwb8734 · Post by **jwb8734** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 7:56 pm

In the photo Gallery: http://batlabs.com/mgallery.html

It shows the x5 head as Spectra A5/B5/C5 Head (Typical)

If that Moto told me is correct which I think it is and the info from the Spectra page there is 5 styles and 7 button types.

Again the 9th and 10th digit represents the head type. Maybe we can have a Mod move this topic into another forum later.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 9:13 pm

Double check the Model number, you show C2 for the head type. I do not recall any 2, just 3, 4, 5 and 7, plus the x9000 A9. A Cx would indicate a trunking radio, altho the head is the same as conventional Ax.

Probally a C5 radio, that would have only three buttons on the right of the 8 charictor display, 11 buttons total.

I did change the title to show A5, the most typical head on Spectras.

ku4zs1 · Post by **ku4zs1** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:21 am

It looks exactly like this radio: http://images.batlabs.com/mobiles/specdes.jpg

with one exception, on that row of 5 buttons at the top of the radio, the middle button is not there (its just a black plastic tab spacer).

Will · Post by **Will** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 3:57 pm

Good, that would be the A5 control head, and as noted in here the head does not have anything to do with trunking. So basically the A5, B5, C5 are all the same head circuit board, and even some A5 boards will do A7 with all the buttons.

The power amp, the back part of the Spectra chassis CAN be moved up to cover 440 thru 480. The RF board is the same in all 4 UHF ranges, as is the command board. The MLM may be able to be range changed.

The hard part is the Receiver frontend board, so far no one has 'moved' them. The VCO may go up to 440-468 with some surgery.

I am moving this over to the Hardware section.

ku4zs1 · Post by **ku4zs1** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:04 pm

Ive got this radio on ebay, still has 5 days left, but no bids yet.

What kind of surgery would this require? I am fairly handy with tiny objects and soldering irons. Can you tell me which part in the radio will need to be modified?

Also, I did the hex hack as indicated by the Spectra page here, and I set the max freq of this range of radio to 450mhz. However, the software still will NOT let me try to program anything higher than 438mhz (even though 438mhz likely wont work either, but if I am successful with this surgery I would need to be able to program it higher of course). Under 'model info' in the software, it is saying the radio is capable of 403-450mhz (thx to the hex hack) but complains when you go over 438.

tvsjr · Post by **tvsjr** » Wed Nov 30, 2005 10:22 pm

Will wrote:Double check the Model number, you show C2 for the head type. I do not recall any 2, just 3, 4, 5 and 7, plus the x9000 A9. A Cx would indicate a trunking radio, altho the head is the same as conventional Ax.

Probally a C5 radio, that would have only three buttons on the right of the 8 charictor display, 11 buttons total.

I did change the title to show A5, the most typical head on Spectras.

A C2 model type does exist, I have one. 2 personalities, 2 talkgroups, 2 conventional channels. No functional buttons except mode and volume, if memory serves.

60hzEE · Post by **60hzEE** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:54 pm

tvsjr wrote:
Will wrote:Double check the Model number, you show C2 for the head type. I do not recall any 2, just 3, 4, 5 and 7, plus the x9000 A9. A Cx would indicate a trunking radio, altho the head is the same as conventional Ax.

Probally a C5 radio, that would have only three buttons on the right of the 8 charictor display, 11 buttons total.

I did change the title to show A5, the most typical head on Spectras.
A C2 model type does exist, I have one. 2 personalities, 2 talkgroups, 2 conventional channels. No functional buttons except mode and volume, if memory serves.

Also, as I remember, the 2 series MLM only has limited EPROM. Only one chip instead of the usual 2. Will need to replace that as well to gain full capability. Assuming the head is enhanced, not standard.

The problem with eBay sharks, of course, is that they rarely give you the Range or the model. So, caveat emptor, I guess...... Hope the price was right.

Lee
60HzEE